Aboriginal groups impose dugong hunting ban

In the wake of seagrass damage from the 2011 floods, traditional owners have decided to stop hunting dugong.

Dugong deaths are up on 2010 following the January floods. (Credit: Getty/Stephen Frink)

FOUR TRADITIONAL OWNER GROUPS have agreed not to hunt dugong for the next five years and limit their take of green turtles to 20 a year. The groups, from central Queensland, imposed the bans after negotiations with the state government, says QLD Environment Minister Vicky Darling.

Under the Native Title Act, traditional owners have the right to hunt dugong and sea turtles, which are both protected species. But with this self-imposed ban, the Gooreng Gooreng, Gurang, Taribelang Bunda and Bailai people have temporarily given up that right.

Chairman of the Gudjuda Aboriginal Reference Group Eddie Smallwood says recent deaths of turtles and dugongs had led indigenous communities to seek ways to better protect these animals.

Spike in dugong deaths

"Turtles and dugongs have an important cultural role in our communities and we want to see these iconic animals conserved more than anyone," he says. "To do this we need extra support to establish ranger programs, research activities and to upgrade our existing conservation programs."

In 2011 there has been a spike in deaths for both endangered species, blamed on starvation after the January floods wiped out seagrass beds. The agreement covers waters from Burrum Heads, south of Bundaberg, to Curtis Island off Gladstone, a distance of several hundred kilometres.

The minister said last week that the floods had had a devastating effect on seagrass in the region. "That's why we are seeing increased numbers of strandings and deaths of these animals this year and anything we can do to stem the numbers of deaths is more than welcome," she said. 

$5-million funding package

The announcement came at the same time as a $5-million federal government funding package to help the Aboriginal groups better conserve the species and implement the ban.

"The knowledge of traditional owners is crucial to our ongoing management of dugongs and sea-country in Queensland," said federal Environment Minister Tony Burke on Friday. "This new funding will help engage with traditional owners to manage dugongs and broader sea country activities such as sustainable traditional practices and community-led compliance work."

Minister Darling said that the agreement would help traditional owner groups manage their seafood resources and monitor their waters for illegal poachers: "These are real outcomes for sustainable hunting that are occurring right now through genuine engagement with traditional owners."

Last month, the Queensland government reported 649 known turtle deaths in the first seven months of 2011 - up more than 200 on the same period last year.

Great Barrier Reef coast

The government also said 96 dugongs had washed up dead on the state's coastline over the same period, compared with 79 for the whole of 2010. Experts argue that the real toll could be much higher, as these numbers include only those deaths that have been discovered.  The figures seem to be at odds with reports earlier this year that dugongs had been little impacted by the flood damage.

"There are a number of traditional owner groups along the Great Barrier Reef coast that have entered into voluntary conservation agreements to reduce traditional hunting but still lack the resources to engage in broader conservation work," says Cliff Cobbo, WWF's Conservation on Country Manager. "We hope this package will assist these communities to further their work to protect these species, and encourage other communities to follow suit."

WWF says that both species are suffering from broader threats including coastal development and boat strikes from a dramatic ramp up in shipping activity related to the mining boom and other industries.

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Home to a warm climate and the crystal clear waters of the Whitsunday Islands, Queensland is a tropical paradise. Off the coast lies the Great Barrier Reef, a breathtaking coral system abounding in exotic fish and spectacular colours. The lush World Heritage-listed Daintree forest in the far north provide some relief from the heat, while further inland, the Simpson Desert’s earthy red dunes offer a stark change of scene.